Electric heating system for cars.



PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

F. 0. NEWELL. ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM FORCARS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1900.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' YATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

M 'QY PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

P. G. NEWEL'L. ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM FOR CARS.

LPPLIOLTION FILED JAN. 5. 1900.

3 SHEBTB-SHBET ARRRR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. NEVELL, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOH TO THE WESTlNGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF PITITSBURG, PENN- SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented March 13, 1906'.

Application filed January 5, 1900- Serial No. 472.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. NEW LL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilkinsburg, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Heating Systems for Cars, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a system for heatin and controlling electric cars.

n the stopping and starting of electric cars the resistance device or rheostat is operated by the controller at frequent intervals to control the suppl of current to the motors, thus providing a liirge amount of waste heat in the resistance-coils. Also when the line-current is cut off and the motors are connected to act as generatorsin a local circuit by the momentum of the car a large amount of heat is wasted in the resistance device or rheostat used to control thecurrent in the local circuit. This current varies greatly during the period that the car is coming to a stop, being very heavy at first and rapidly reducingldown to zero as the car comes to a standsti The object of my invention is to provide a new and im roved system for heating and controllin e ectric cars in which this waste heat is uti ized for warming. the interior of the car and also to provide a heater which is adapted at the same time to serve as the resistance device or rheostat for the controller in starting and stopping the car.

In order to provide a combined electric heater and rheostat which will properly regulate the current in the motor-circuit and in the braking-circuit and at the same time utilize such current for heating purposes in the car, I construct a device having a series of resistance-coils of different crosssectional area an current-carrying capacities and sired. ,The cross-sectional area and length of each of the resistance-coils is so proportroller is employed having contact-bars 1, 2,

tioned that the maximum current which each coil is designed to carry in order to secure a certain action of the motor or a certain braking action will at the same time produce a certain temperature in said coil which will be efficient for heating purposes. The coils are embedded in an insulating and heat-storing substance, so that the heat may be rapidly ab sorbed or stored during the short and. interportions of the resistance instead of being shunted may be successively cut out Fig. 3,

a longitudinal/vertical section, and Fig. 4 a horizontal section, through a car, showing the location of the heaters inside of the car and the rheostat under the car; Fig. 5, a transverse section through a car'seat and through one of the heaters; Fig. 6, a vertical transverse section, and Fig. 7 a vertical longitudi- 'na'l section, on an enlarged scale, showing the interior construction and arrangement of the heaters; Fig. 8, a horizontal section. on the line at mof Figs. 6 and 7.

My invention provides means whereby when the motor or motors on an electrically- ,operated' car have been cut oil lTOHl the trdlley-lin'e and connected in a local circuit on the car, so as to act as generators to produce a current for braking purposes, all or any portion of the current so generated may be passed throu hheaters inside of the carfor the purpose 0 heating the car, or a portion of I 'the current may be diverted so as to pass through a rheostat or resistance device on the outside of the car, and in combination with such means for utilizing the braking-current I employ means whereby the current from thetrolley-line may be similarly utilized and regulated in starting the car or when current 1s eing supplied to the motor or motors. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, a cone 3, 4, 5, and 6 for engaging with the contactpoints 7, 8', 9, l0, 11,-and12 when the con.- troller is turned in one direction and current is being supplied to the motor or motors from the main line 13 through the trolley the heating effect desired, and for the purpose of connecting either, as may be desired,

connection T, and other contact-bars 14, 15, 16, 17, 1'8, and 19 are adapted to engage with the contact-points 20, 8, 9, 10, 12, and 21 when the controller is turned inthe opposite direction and the motor or motors are cut-ofi' from the main line and connectedrinamlocal circuit'to'r brakin purposes. The resistance devices employe when starting or running the/car and for braking purposes may be all or a part of the coils of the heater H, which is located within the car or any of the coils of the rheostatR, which is located under the car, the connections being in accordance with I provide the switches 22, 23 and 24, which are adapted when turned to the right to make contact, respectively, with the points 25,26, and 27, which are connected with the heater, and when turned to the left to make contact, respectively, with the points 28, 29, and 30, which are connected with the rheostat under 'the car, the switch 22 being employed to make contact with the point orthe point 28, when it is desired that the resistance should'be a maximum and the switches 23 and ile being employed to make contact with their respective points when it is desired that the 'resistance'be somewhat less, the controller being at the same time in the proper position to send the current through the desired resistance by engagement of the contact-bars 2, 3, or t with the points 8, 9, or 10, respecbars 1 and 2 and the wire 31'to the switch 22,

and if it is desired to heat the car the switch 22 should be in position to make contact with the point 25, so that the current will pass through the wire 34 and through all of the coils in the heater H. At the same time that the trolley connection is closed by contact of the bar 1 with the point 7 the points 11 and 12 are electricall connected by con- .t'act withthe bars 5 and 6, and the current after passing through the heater 'flows through the wire 37, bars 6 and 5, and through the wire 38 to the motor, the armature of which is represented by the circle A and the held of which is represented by the coil F. After passingthrough the motor the current is grounded at G. A further movement of the controller to the left for the purose of reducing the resistance will put the Bar 3 in contact with the point 9, andthe current will then pass through the wires 31 and 32 to the switches 22 and 23, which should be at that time in contact with the points 25 and 26 ifit is desired to utilize all of the current for heating the car, or other.- vise one or both of the switches 22 and 23 shouldbe turned to the left, so as to make contact with one or both of the points 28 and 29, so that the current may flow partly or wholly through the rheostat R. A'still further movement of the controller to the left will further decrease the resistance by making contact between the point 10 and the bar 4, so as to send a part-of the current through the wire 33 to the switch 24, whichshould be in contact with the point 27 or with the point 30.

In order to cut off the current from the trolley-line and apply the brakes, the controller is turned to the right, so as to break the contact of the point 7 with the bar 1 and to make contact between the point 20 and the bar 14 and between the point 8 and the bar 15. The motor or motors will then be operated by the momentum of the cares enerators, and the current from the motor ows through the wire 39 to the contact-point 20 and thence to the bar 15 and the oint 8 and throu h the wire 31 to the switc 22, which should be in contact with the point 25 if the current is to be utilized for heating the car. The current will then fiow through all of the coils in the heater and throu h the wire 37 to the contact-point 12 and through the connected contact-bars 18 and 19 and-contactpoint 21 and wire 40 to the brake-magnet B and through wire 41 to the motor. When the contro ler is moved further to the right,

the bar 16 makes contact with the contactoint 9 and the current from the motor actmg as a generator flowsthro'ugh the wires 31 and 32 to the switches 22 and 23, which should be in contact with the points 25 and 26 in order to ass all of the current through the heater wit in the car. ment of the controller to the right will put the contact-bar 17 in contact with the oint '10, so that the current will flow throng the wires 31, 32, and 33 to the switches 22, 23, and 24, and if the switches are in contact with the oints 25, 26, and 27 the current will flow t rough all of the coils of the heater.

While I have shown but three switches and a corres onding number of contact-points for cutt' g in or out the resistance and for making the desired connections by move-- .ment of the controller, my improvement is not limited to any particular number -of switches or contact-points or bars, but the construction may be varied in accordance with any desired variation in the resistance.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings,- the contact-bars 2, 3', 4,15, 16, and. 17 are modified, so-asto permit of a portion of the resistance being cut outinstead of being shunted. With this construction. when, the contact-- A further move-q the bar 2 from the point 8 t when the controller is turned .the pu ose of bars 1 and 2 are in contact with the points 7 and 8 and the switch 22 is-in contact with either of the points or 28 the current will pass through all of the resistance in the heater or all of the resistance in. the rheostat under the car, and on a further movement of the controller to the left, which brings .the contact-bar 3 in contact with the point 9, the current may ass to both of the switches 22 and 23,ifthe ar2 be not disenga ed from the point 8 bythis movement, or i? the movement to the left be great enou h to disengage e current will flow only to the switch 23, which should be in contact with the point 26 or with the point 29. A further movement to the left sufficient to cause the bar 4 of Fig. 2 to -make contact with the. oint 10 may permit the current to flow to 0th of the switches 23 and 24 or only to the switch 24 if the movement be great enough to disengage the bar 3 from the point 9.

Withthe construction shown in Fig. 2 to the right for disconnecting the motor or motors om the main line and connecting the motor or motors in the local circuit for braking pu oses the contact-bar 14 makes contact wit the point 20 and the bar 15 makes contact wit the point 8, so as to at resistance either throu h 22that is, whether it isin contact'with the point 25 or the point 28-and further 'movement of the controller tothe right, which brings the bar 16 in contact wit e'point 9, may permit the current to flow to both switches 22 and 23, if the contact of thebar "15 with the point 8 be not broken, or if the movement begr'eat enough to break the contact of the bar 15 with the point 8 the current will flow to the switch 23 only. Similarly, a further movement to the ri ht, which brings the bar 17 in contact with 51c point 10, may

. or may not'be sufficient to cause the bar 16 to break contact with the. oint 9, and the current may flow to both 0 the switches 23 and 24 or only to the switchv 24, deplending on the extent of the movement of t e controller to the right.

For the purpose oi heating the interior of the car the heat-developing conductors or resistance-coils are preferably arranged in separate boxesjor casin s H, which are located under the ed es of t e seats at intervals in the lengtho the car and are filled with an insulating I and :heat absorbing substance in wnichthe coils areembedded. The sub:

stance employed .for this purposeexcludes. the air from the coils,.and therebyprevents oxidation. andisa sufiiciently 'ood conductor of heat to 'efiect. the desire storage and transfer -of'heat.fromathe1coils to the casing.

The casing is formed of metal and is corru ated on its exposed-surface, as shown in the ance-coils, each coil differing in cross-seccomparatively tional area from that ofi each of the other coils in the same box. The uppermost coils a in the difierent boxes are made with the least cross-sectional area, the middle coils b of somewhat greater crosssectional area, andthe lowest coils c of'still reater crosssectional area. The upper coil s a, all having the same cross-sectional area, are connected in series, as shown in Fig, 7 ,so that the current after passing through the coil a in the first box flows into and through the coil a in the second boxand then into and through the coil a in the third box. The coils b and c are similarly connected ,so that the current flows throu h all of the coils. b

in succession and then t rough the coils c.

. Whenthe controller is in position to makecontact between the point 8 and either of the contact-bars 2 or 15, so as to send the current through the, switch 22 and 1 wire 34, .the switch 22 being-then turned to the right, so to make contact with the point 25, the current will flow first through all-of the coils a and produce a heating effect in each of the boxes by heating the coils ate a temperature which will depend upon their length and crosssectiona areafor example, such a temperature as will produce redness of the i '5 resistance-coils. The current after passing through coils. a will flow through'the coils b heating them' to a tempeitature somewhat lee-- low that of the coils a and producing a heat ing efi'ect ineach of the boxes and will then pass through. the coils c, where the tempera-- ture will be still. less.

While I have shown the resistance-coils or heat-developingconductors as composed of wire arranged in spiral form, it is to be understood that myinvention is not l mited to this arrangement, since it is evident that various other 'forms and shapes of heat-developin conductor such, for instance, as a crimped flat ribbon-may be used.

I-IO

With the construction shown in Fig. 1

when the controller is moved soas to cause either'of' the bars-3 or 16 to make contact with the point 9 if the switches and 23 be in contact with the points 25 and 213 a part only-of the current will flow through the wires 31 and 34 and through the'coils a and a part will flow through the wires 32and 35 and be shunted around the coils a; but-the whole of the current will flow through the coils b. and c, with the effect thatthe tempera-- ture of the coils a will be reduced; but as the total resistance to thepassage oi the ca series of coils of d'iferent cross-sectional area feet bv. the coils a.

varying the connections of the heater-coils in is also reduced the current will be greater and the temperature of the coils b and 0 will be increased.

With the construction shown in Fig. 2 of 1 the drawings, which permits the coils a to be entirely out out when either of the bars 3 or 16 is in contact with the point 9, the current may be caused to flow through the coils b and a only, and there will then be no heating ei It will be seen by reference to the diagrams Figs. 1 and 2 and the connections to the coils shown in Fig. 7 that the current may be shunted around both the coils a and coils b when the contact-bars 4 or 17 make contact with the point 10 or that both the coils a and the coils b may be entirely out out. In either case the increase in the quantity of the current due tothe decrease in the resistance will cause an increase in the temperature of the coils 0 and a corresponding increase in the heating effect of the coils.

By means of my improvement I am enabled to employ the current generated in the local braking-circuit by the momentum of the car for the purpose of heating the interior of the car, and thereby provide an economical heating system in which a large amount of energy converted into heat and which has heretofore been wasted may be utilized.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination on a car of an electric motor for propelling the car, a running or motor circuit for supplying current-to the motor, a local brake-circuit containing a brake-magnet, an electric heater located within the car and having a series of coils of different resistance capacity for regulating the current in both circuits, and controlling switch mechanism having contact-points for the running-circuit and other contact-points for connecting up the motor to act as a generator in the local brake-circuit and for varying the connections of the heater-coils in said brake-circuit.

2. The combination on an electric car, of a motor, a motor-circuit for supplying current to the m tor, a local brake-circuit, an electric heater located within the car and'having a for regulating the current in both circuits, and switch mechanism for cutting out the motor-circult, connecting up the motor to act as a generator in the local brake-circuit with the heater and varying the connections of the heater-coils in said local circuit.

3. The combination on an electric car, of a motor, a motorcircuit for supplying current to the motor, a local brake-circuit, a controller for cutting out the motor-circuit and connecting up the motor to act as a generator in the local brake-circuit, an electric heater located within the car and having a series of coils of different resistances, a rheostat located outside the car and having a corresponding series of coils, and a series of switches for connecting one or more of the coils of either the heater or of the rheostat into the local circuit.

4. The combination, on an electric car, of a motor for propelling the car and also adapted to be operated as a generator by the momentum of the car when the line-current is cut off from the motor, a local brake-circuit to which current may be supplied by the genp erator, an electric heater having aseries of coils of different cross-sectional area adapted to serve as a rheostat for both the motor-cir-' cuit and the brake-circuit, a magnetic brake device in said brake-circuit, and means for varying the connections of the coils of the heater in the running or motor circuit and in the brake-circuit.

5.- An electric heater for cars, comprising a plurality of separate casings arran ed in series, a plurality of resistance-coils 0 different cross-sectional area and current-carryin capacity in each casing, the respective coi s of the same size in the different casings bein connected together in series, and the severa sets of coils also being connected in series.

6. The combination on a car of an electric motor for propelling the car, a running or motor circuit for supplying current to the motor, a local brake-circuit containing a brake magnet, an electric heater located within the car and having a series of coils of different resistance capacity for regulating the current in the brake-circuits, and controllin switch mechanism having contact-points or connecting up the motor to act as a generator in the local brake-circuit and for varying the connections of the heater-coils in said brakecircuit.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK C. NEWELL. 

